A host of startups like Wakefit, NoBroker, Licious, Solv and Simplilearn are looking to incorporate “quiet time” for employees, safeguarding their mental wellbeing and helping build a better work-life balance with workplace nap rooms, breakout zones, and no-meeting hours/days even as burnout and exhaustion hamper productivity levels across India Inc.
Mattress, furniture and home interiors company Wakefit has rolled out a ‘Right to Nap’ initiative under which every employee’s calendar is blocked for 2.00-2:30 pm every day.
“The policy is aligned with our company vision of maximising comfort. There is a nap room at the office for those who want a quick break, and employees also use the time for a walk, some meditation, and re-centring themselves in the middle of a busy workday,” said Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, cofounder of the Bengaluru-based startup.
The company’s technology and data science teams have also introduced no-meeting days, which Ramalingegowda wants to roll out across the organisation in due course.
Many other companies, too, have demarcated specific hours or days for no meetings to give employees a break.
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At B2B ecommerce marketplace Solv, there is a ‘no meeting’ hour given every day to employees, whether working from home or office.
“This policy brings in a sense of responsibility in managers to ensure the well-being of their teams by making this one-hour sacrosanct; encouraging their teams to block calendars to take a breather from regular work and the constant accessibility that technology provides,” said CEO Amit Bansal.
Razorpay, too, had rolled out no-meeting days to allow employees to plan their work schedules better.
Quiet time helps employees relax, rejuvenate and recharge themselves, preventing mental exhaustion and allowing them to resume work with higher productivity levels, said Archana Krishna, cofounder and chief HR officer at Simplilearn, which offers quiet time for employees.
Licious and NoBroker have incorporated opportunities for breaks within the workplace premises.
At meat and seafood company Licious, which is part of the unicorn club, employees are encouraged to take regular breaks and engage in games like pool, table tennis and carrom.
There is also a snooze room for times when employees need to catch a power nap or simply lie down for a bit, in order to return to work energised, said HR head Naveen Kumar.
Proptech unicorn NoBroker is in the process of dedicating a larger breakout zone and creating a space for employees to give them me-time within the office itself.
(Illustration by Rahul Awasthi)
